Conventional apparatus for removing foreign matter from rollers in web manufacturing equipment uses a cleaning rod that is periodically inserted into the machine through an opening and then moved along the side of the roller to a predetermined location. The rod is then manually urged into contact with the surface of the roller for removal of foreign matter. After removing particles or contaminants from the roller, the cleaning rod is removed from the machine until another use is indicated by the operator.
In the manufacture of acetate film base, a liquid dope generally comprising various solvents, such as methylene chloride and methyl alcohol, is cast onto a polished surface and then stripped away in order to further cure the film base prior to winding the film into roll form. While the film is curing it is placed inside a machine enclosure in order to protect the film from outside contaminants which are known to have deleterious effects on the web during manufacturing. More importantly, the machine enclosure both limits operator exposure to solvent emissions and reduces overall environmental emissions. Cleaning the rollers is required because contaminants are known to migrate onto the roller and adhere to the surface. Hence each revolution of the roller results in an imperfection, such as impressions, to the conveyed web which makes the web unsuitable for use.
The prior art apparatus for cleaning rollers in such machine enclosures invariably presents contaminants into the machine enclosure because the cleaning mechanism is staged outside the machine enclosure in generally ambient air and then inserted into the machine enclosure for a typical cleaning operation. In this manner, contaminants are transported into the machine enclosure by the cleaning apparatus thereby reducing the effectiveness of the cleaning operation. Moreover, the prior art apparatus does not provide means for preventing operator exposure to emissions and overall environmental emissions.
In the printing press field, although not related to web fabrication, a device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,945 to Lee for removing foreign particles from the image area of rotating plate cylinders. The Lee '945 device uses a wiper blade that rides on a lead screw inside the printing machine during operations. The wiper blade is projected into engagement with a rotating plate cylinder to remove foreign particles from a predetermined position on the plate cylinder. Shortcomings of the Lee '945 patent for solving the problems faced by the inventor are that the wiper blade apparatus is unduly complex, costly to manufacture and would damage the sensitive web conveying rollers. Furthermore, it would be undesirable to use the wiper blade apparatus of Lee because the wiper blade serves as a host for collecting and releasing foreign particles which could potentially recontaminate the sensitive web conveyance rollers, thus defeating the cleaning operation.
Therefore, there persists a need for an apparatus for cleaning a roller inside a machine enclosure that is inexpensive to manufacture, does not release or generate contaminants in the machine enclosure, and is easily operable manually outside the machine enclosure thereby resisting the introduction of contaminants into the machine enclosure and reducing environmental emissions.